Ashtanga Yoga with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

The DVDs offered on this site are color copies of the complete and original VHS releases, shot on November 17 & 18, 1993 in Los Angeles, California, and produced in 1996 by Yoga Works Productions. These videos of the Primary and Intermediate Series have been digitally preserved so that both current and future practitioners can be inspired by the beauty and perfection captured in these practices.

This material is offered by donation. Please use the PayPal “Donate” button below:

Set of the Primary and Intermediate Series DVDs:$30 For delivery within the US$45 For delivery outside of the US$8 Download the Set of videos$5 Download the MP3 audio

A day or two after we are notified of your donation, you will receive an email with a link to download the videos. Please realize that these files are very large, and even if you have a fast download connection, the upload is throttled and it will take some patience before the download completes.

DVDs: For a set of the Primary and Intermediate Series DVDs, $30 minimum is recommended for delivery within the US. $45 minimum is recommended for delivery outside of the US and overseas. For Mexico and Italy, please include an additional $15 for registered mail to ensure delivery in those countries.

Download: We are also offering a specially formatted video for your mobile device as a download for $8. Download this file onto your computer for transfer onto your mobile device. This file includes the complete Primary Series video, and that portion of the Intermediate Series video that covers the postures from Pasasana to Baddha Hasta Sirsasana D. Please specify MOV format (3.12GB ) or MP4 format (1.3GB). These files will play on any computer.

An MP3 of the audio is also available as a download for $5. This file includes the complete Primary Series audio, and that portion of the Intermediate Series audio that covers the postures from Pasasana to Baddha Hasta Sirsasana D. (102.5MB)

The Practitioners

Much gratitude is offered to the practitioners in these videos. Thank you for your dedication. For those who will come after you, the perfection of your practice shines a light on the possibilities of what yoga asana can be.

Video previews on YouTube

Special YouTube video: Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, the father of modern yoga and Pattabhi Jois’s teacher, demonstrates the practices of yoga in 1938 at the age of 50. (Hanuman Chalisa by Bhagavan Das.)

The Content of the Videos

Pattabhi Jois counts in Sanskrit, calls out all postures and dristi, and counts all breaths in English; five breaths for each posture unless otherwise noted below.

Primary Series Sequence (click to open/close)

Ashtanga Yoga Mantra chant in call and response

Surya Namaskara A – 3x

Surya Namaskara B – 3x

Padangusthasana

Padahastasana

Utthita Trikonasana A

Utthita Trikonasana B (Parivritta Trikonasana)

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Prasarita Padottanasana A

Prasarita Padottanasana B

Prasarita Padottanasana C

Prasarita Padottanasana D

Parsvottanasana

Utthita Hasta Padangushtasana

(Utthita Parsvasahita)

(Utthita Eka Padasana)

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

Utkatasana

Virabhadrasana A

Virabhadrasana B

(Dandasana)

Paschimattanasana A

Paschimattanasana B

Purvattanasana

Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimattanasana

Tiryan Mukha Eka Pada Paschimattanasana

Janusirsasana A

Janusirsasana B

Janusirsasana C

Marichasana A

Marichasana B

Marichasana C

Marichasana D

Navasana (with Lolasana)

Bujapidasana

Kurmasana

Supta Kurmasana

Garbha Pindasana – and rolling 5x

Kukkutasana

Baddha Konasana A

Upavishta Konansa A

Upavishta Konansa B

Supta Konasana

Supta Padangusthasana

(Supta Parsvashita)

(Chakrasana)

Ubhaya Padangusthasana

Urdhvamukha Paschimottanasana

Setu Bandhasana

(Chakrasana)

Urdhva Dhanurasana – 3x

(Chakrasana)

Paschimattanasana

(No vinyasa)

(Tadaka Mudra) – 5 breaths

Sarvangasana – 10 breaths

Halasana – 8 breaths

Karnapidasana – 8 breaths

Urdhva Padmasana – 8 breaths

Pidasana – 8 breaths

Matsyasana – 8 breaths

Uttana Padasana – 8 breaths

(Chakrasana)

Sirsasana – 25 breaths

(Ardha Sirsasana) – 10 breaths

Balasana (30 seconds) – uncounted

(Baddha Padmasana)

Yoga Mudra – 10 breaths

Padmasana (with Jnana Mudra) – 10 breaths

Utpluthi – 25 breaths

(Half vinyasa only)

Savasana

Intermediate Series Sequence (click to open/close)

Ashtanga Yoga Mantra chant in call and response

Surya Namaskara A – 3x

Surya Namaskara B – 3x

Padangusthasana

Padahastasana

Utthita Trikonasana A

Utthita Trikonasana B (Parivritta Trikonasana)

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Prasarita Padottanasana A

Prasarita Padottanasana B

Prasarita Padottanasana C

Prasarita Padottanasana D

Parsvottanasana

(Half vinyasa only)

Pasasana

Krounchasana

Salabhasana A

Salabhasana B

Bhekasana

Dhanurasana

Parsva Dhanurasana

Dhanurasana

Ustrasana

Laghuvajrasana

Kapotasana A

Kapotasana B

Supta Vajrasana

Bakasana A

Bakasana B

Bharadvajasana

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Eka Pada Sirsasana

Dwi Pada Sirsasana

Yoga Nidrasana

(Chakrasana)

Tittibhasana A

Tittibhasana B

Tittibhasana C

Pincha Mayurasana

Karandavasana

Mayurasana

Nakrasana

Vatayanasana

Parighasana

Gomukasana A

Gomukasana B

Supta Urdhva Pada Vajrasana

Mukta Hasta Sirsasana A

Mukta Hasta Sirsasana B

Mukta Hasta Sirsasana C

Baddha Hasta Sirsasana A

Baddha Hasta Sirsasana B

Baddha Hasta Sirsasana C

Baddha Hasta Sirsasana D

Urdhva Dhanurasana – 3x

(Chakrasana)

Paschimattanasana

(No vinyasa)

(Tadaka Mudra) – 5 breaths

Sarvangasana – 10 breaths

Halasana – 8 breaths

Karnapidasana – 8 breaths

Urdhva Padmasana – 8 breaths

Pidasana – 8 breaths

Matsyasana – 8 breaths

Uttana Padasana – 8 breaths

(Chakrasana)

Sirsasana – 25 breaths

(Ardha Sirsasana) – 10 breaths

Balasana (30 seconds) – uncounted

(Baddha Padmasana)

Yoga Mudra – 10 breaths

Padmasana (with Jnana Mudra) – 10 breaths

Utpluthi – 25 breaths

(Half vinyasa only)

Savasana

Ashtanga Yoga is the method taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois as he was taught by Sri T. Krisnamacharya. In November of 1993 Pattabhi Jois agreed to document this precise method with these demonstration videos. His wish was to use students who needed little or no help, thereby demonstrating the full impact of this very dynamic practice.

These demonstration videos are an important contribution to the future of Ashtanga yoga. They are not only an historic record of how perfect the dance of Ashtanga yoga can be, more importantly, they are a “time capsule” of how Pattabhi Jois intended these practices to flow. These videos show how he orchestrates it, as performed by his most accomplished students at the time. Now you can use these demonstration videos to enrich your own practice, as you take in the rhythm and flow of Pattabhi’s lead.

The Beginning or Primary Series is labeled “Chikitsa Bhaga”. This translates as the curative or therapeutic section. The intent of this series is to first prepare the way. To remove the obstructions structurally, organically, emotionally and mentally thus enabling the practitioner to move on to the higher forms of yogic practice.

The Second Series is labeled “Nadi Sodan,” which translates as nerve or channel purification. The Second or Intermediate Series builds on the skills learned in the First, or Primary Series. It is only after a certain degree of mastery of the Primary Series that a student is taught the Intermediate Series. The postures of Second Series are added “one-by-one”, in the words of Pattabhi Jois, to the practice of First Series. As a student gains proficiency in the new postures more are added until the entire new series is learned. In fact this is the method of progression in all the series of Ashtanga yoga. Progress is based on the ability of each student.

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, (July 26, 1915 – May 18, 2009) affectionately known as Guru-ji, was a sanskrit scholar who held two degrees from the renowned Sanskrit College of Mysore. His knowledge of Ashtanga Yoga was practical as well as scholarly.

The master tapes of these videos:

A most valuable treasure.

It is our sincere hope that R. Sharath Rangaswamy will make the decision to have the original tapes digitally remastered. These fragile tapes have a limited life span and, unfortunately, have been deteriorating every day. At some point very soon, if not already, their content will be lost forever. This would be a great tragedy. By digitizing the videos, the legacy of these teachings will be preserved well into the future for all Ashtanga practitioners, and all students of yoga history.

According to Eddie Stern, they also recorded the Third Series practice. However, it was decided not to release it at the time the First and Second Series were offered. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to finally see that practice as well?

From Chuck Miller, July 2009, who turned the tapes over to Pattabhi Jois shortly after production:
I wanted to urge you to encourage Sharath to digitize and promote the tapes! It was our wish that Guru-ji and his family would reap the benefits of any further sales of the tapes. We made our investment back and received a very small profit and consider that enough.

The intention was to preserve a clean copy of Guru-ji teaching the series’ to a few of his senior students, to show how he wanted it done… I am sure we failed, but at least there are some examples of him conducting the classes out there to the future students … Ommmm…..!
Good luck.
Peace,
Chuck